The Mean Machine team laid down the gauntlet to the other teams in the Audi MedCup by winning the practice race ahead of the start of the Marseille leg on Tuesday.

The ancient city ramparts around Marseille's Vieux Port are given over to an exhibition of hundreds of paintings but for most of the Audi MedCup Circuit crews gathered in France's third city this week the writing may be on the wall, written large on Monday by Peter DE RIDDER's Mean Machine team when they seized victory in the practice race in the final 90 seconds.

After winning the opening regatta of the Audi MedCup Circuit two weeks ago in Alicante on Monday's warm-up contest, raced in 8-10 knots of southerly breeze amidst a spectacular Mediterranean amphitheatre bound to the east by L'Ile Maire and the Montagne de Marseille Veire, signaled a clear warning that DE RIDDER's team will be the crew to beat here.

Platoon powered by Team Germany, skippered by three times Olympic gold medallist Jochen SCHUEMANN proved that their hard work in Valencia, tuning their new Rolf VROIJK designed boat and a hard week of crew training, may reveal a dividend this week. They were quickest off the start line and made the best tactical call to lead the race all the way until the last 400 metres, but showed very good speed, especially downwind.

The maiden race outing for USA-17 saw Larry ELLISON (USA) enjoy his first sail on the TP52. With Russell COUTTS (NZL) and James SPITHILL (AUS) orchestrating the tactical decisions at the back of the boat, USA-17 was seventh at the first windward mark, four seconds behind sister-ship Artemis, and finished ninth.

While it was a gentle introduction for ELLISON, COUTTS and co to their new boat and the rest of the 14-boat fleet, local forecasters and team navigators are predicting at least 20 knots of Mistral breeze for Tuesdays opening races.

"Twenty knots would be just fine for us. There is less chance for the tactician to get it wrong when the breeze is up," grins Ray DAVIES (NZL), Mean Machine's tactician, "But really, we are a good team and the crew work is generally very good, so we are happy in the breeze. We had a new mainsail on today which we were testing for when the wind is a little more down the range, but otherwise have not really done anything much to the boat. It is not quite as busy on the start lines with a couple less boats and the start line was a little longer today. We will be out for a clean start tomorrow and to really let the boat do the work. There is nothing specific contributing to our speed, but we have good sails and good trimmers and generally a nice rig set up which is easy to tune. I don't think there is anything in the hulls particularly because it is the same shape as others."

SCHUEMANN, Platoon Powered by Team Germany, was not reading too much into their performance today, "We have done some good work on the boat since Alicante, and have learned the right things about the boat. We obviously struggled to have the boat finished before the first event, and now we have settled in a little bit better, have done a little a bit of work on rig tuning, optimised a few things, but essentially learning the rake and sails is a major thing.

"We are always optimists but I think we had the right strategy it was so clear which side was favoured today. We did all the right things and that made us look really good but in general lining up with the rest of the competition we have always been happy how we do. We have a good boat - we'll see how it goes," he concluded.

Tom Burton (AUS) and Alison Young (GBR) hit the right note in the Laser and Laser Radial at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as they took out the top honours and qualification spots to the 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup Final.

It was double Australian gold in the Paralympic classes. Matt Bugg (AUS) came out on top in the 2.4mR whilst London 2012 Paralympic SKUD18 gold medallists Dan Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch (AUS) were triumphant in the two person keelboat.

Lithuania's Juozas Bernotas came out on top in the Men's RS:X whilst Russia's Stefania Elfutina was triumphant in the Women's RS:X. Both sailors claim the first Abu Dhabi ISAF Sailing World Cup Final spots whilst Jock Calvert (AUS) and Joanna Sterling (AUS) picked up the Oceanic spots for the Emirati finale.

There was some fast paced action in the 49er and 49erFX Medal Races at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as Nathan Outteridge & Iain Jensen (AUS) and Maia & Ragna Agerup (NOR) claimed the honours and Abu Dhabi final spots.

A tight group of five young Papua New Guinean (PNG) Laser sailors are stepping up their 2015 Pacific Games competition program using this week's ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne. PNG is one of 33 countries represented at the important Oceanic event, the largest Olympic sailing regatta in the southern hemisphere.

Nicolai Sehested (DEN) and his TREFOR Match Racing Team clinched victory today at the Energa Sopot Match Race, Poland, the 10th stage and World Championship Event of the 2015 World Match Racing Tour (WMRT).

There was no stopping current, and five-time ISAF Match Racing World Champion Ian Williams (GBR), GAC Pindar today at the Energa Sopot Match Race as he swiftly dispatched his Quarter Final opponent Joachim Aschenbrenner (DEN) in three straight wins.

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) continues to address concerns and is taking steps to ensure the health and safety of all athletes who will be competing in the upcoming Aquece Rio, Olympic Test Event and the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition.

Veteran Polish match racer and America's Cup helmsman Karol Jablonski skilfully played the gusty conditions today to lead the twelve strong field of teams at the end of Day 2 of Qualifying at the 2015 Energa Sopot Match Race.